Chrysanthemum plant named Zanmufay

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmufay’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with bronze ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 12-16; blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Chrysanthemum xmorifolium Ramat.

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘Zanmufay’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum xmorifoliumRamat., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar denomination‘Zanmufay’. ‘Zanmufay’ is a product of a breeding and selection programfor outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creatingnew cultivars with a double type inflorescence, a natural season flowerdate around October 12-16, blooming for a period of 4 weeks. ‘Zanmufay’is a seedling resulting from a crossing between the female parent id4336 and male parent id 2864. Plants of the ‘Zanmufay’ differ fromplants of the parents in the following characteristics. (1) colorray-florets. And (2) natural season flower date.

(1) The color of the ray-florets of the seedling is

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Zanmufay’ differ from plants of the maleparent in the following characteristics. (1) . . .

The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a floweringplant by Wilhelmus Bernardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout,The Netherlands in 2005. The first act of asexual production of‘Zanmufay’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings from the initialselection in 2005 were used and propagated further in a controlledenvironment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has beenfound to retain its distinctive characteristics through successivepropagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length andtemperature and planted in week 25 in 2009. The natural blooming date ofthis crop was October 12-16 . The average height of the plants was 35cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease orinsect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold ordrought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms withbronze ray florets blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Zanmufay’ is ‘Zanmusunset’ (U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/003,567). When ‘Zanmusunset’ and ‘Zanmufay’ are beingcompared the following difference is noticed: The differences of‘Zanmusunset’ and ‘Zanmufay’ are (1) Natural season flower date. And (2)vigour. (1) The plants of ‘Zanmufay’ flower later than those of‘Zanmusunset’. (2) The plants of ‘Zanmufay’ are less vigorous than thoseof ‘Zanmusunset’

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Zanmufay’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of Chrysanthemum xmorifolium Ramat.‘Zanmufay’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.5 cm, height 0.4 cm ShapeRound Texture Pubescent Outside Color Greyed-green 191A PhyllariesNumber 24-26, arranged in 3 rows Shape Elliptic Apex Acute Base TruncateMargin Entire Color Upper surfaceGreyed-green 191A Length and width 5mm, 2.5 mm Texture Pubescent Inflorescence Type Double Height 1.5 cmDiameter 4.5 cm Peduncle length 6-8 cm Peduncle color Yellow-green 147CPeduncle diameter 1.7 mm Peduncle texture Pubescent Number per branchApprox. 6 inflorescences Duration of flowering 4 weeks Seeds Produced insmall quantities, ovate, Greyed-brown 199A, length 1.5 mm, diameter 0.8mm Fragrance Faint chrysanthemum odor Color Center of inflorescenceImmature stage: Greyed-orange 173B Mature stage: Greyed-orange 173BColor of upper surface of the Greyed-orange 163D (base) to 163Bray-florets (apex) Color of the lower surface Greyed-orange 163D (base)to 163C of the ray-florets (apex) Tonality from Distance A garden mumwith bronze flowers Color of the ray-florets after Greyed-orange 165Daging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and lower surface smoothNumber Ca. 180 Shape Elliptic Apex Pointed Base Attenuate Cross-sectionFlat Longitudinal axis of Straight majority Length of corolla tube 5-7mm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.8-2.2 cm Ray-floretwidth 4-5 mm Ratio length/width High Disc florets Absent ReceptacleColor Green 138C Shape Domed raised Height 2 mm Diameter 5 mmReproductive Organs Androecium Absent Pollen Absent Gynoecium Present onboth ray florets Style color Yellow-green 154C Style Length 3 mm Stigmacolor Yellow 7A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovary Enclosed in calyx Plant FormGrown as a spray type pot mum, outdoor raised and mounded Growth habitSpherical shape Growth rate Vigorous Height 35 cm Width 45 cm Stem ColorGreyed-brown 199A Stem Strength Weak Stem Brittleness Brittle StemAnthocyanin Coloration Not observed Internode length 1.5-2.5 cm Lengthof lateral branch From top to bottom 17 cm Lateral branch color Green137 C Lateral branch brittleness Brittle Lateral branch diameter 2 mmBranching (average number Prolific with 10 breaks after pinching oflateral branches) Natural season blooming date October 12-16 FoliageLeaf color Upper side: Green 139A Lower side: Green 139C Color midveinUpper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size Small.;length 4-6.5 cm, width 2-3 cm Quantity (number per lateral 18-20 branch)Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Sparsely pubescent Texture under sidePubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin SerratedShape of Base of Sinus Acute Between Lateral Lobes Margin of SinusBetween Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Attenuate Apex MucronulatePetiole length 1-1.5 cm Petiole diameter 2 mm Petiole color Yellow-green147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety ‘Zanmufay’ ‘Zanmusunset’Start natural October 12 (week 42) September 14 (week 38) season flowerdate Plant height 35 cm 40-45 cm Plant width 45 cm 55 cm

1. A new and distinct chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmufay’ as describedand illustrated.